Two days after being showered with affection from his coach, Patric Hornqvist was reduced to two minutes of ice in the third period of Game 5 with a trip to the conference final on the line.Sidney Crosby's staple at right wing was stapled to the Pittsburgh Penguins' bench in the final frame, as coach Mike Sullivan shortened his rotation in an effort to spur a comeback versus the Washington Capitals.Following the 3-1 loss in Pittsburgh's first of three potential opportunities to eliminate the Presidents' Trophy winners, Sullivan explained his thinking:"We were trying to climb back into it," he said, according to Yahoo's Greg Wyshynski, denying there was an injury involved. "We went with the guys we thought were going and had some energy. So we tweaked the lines a little bit."Tom Kuhnhackl started the period with Crosby and Conor Sheary, and Matt Cullen and Carl Hagelin rotated in as well, helping limit Hornqvist to a little over 10-and-a-half total minutes.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WASHINGTON - Alex Ovechkin did everything he could to keep the Washington Capitals' season alive.Ovechkin threw his body around, skated around and through Pittsburgh's defense and scored a power-play goal to help the Capitals beat the Penguins 3-1 in Game 5 on Saturday night.Related: Watch: Ovechkin, Kunitz trade PPGs in dizzying start to Game 5​Behind a two-point game from Ovechkin and 30 saves by Braden Holtby, Washington cut its deficit to 3-2 and forced Game 6 on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. T.J. Oshie also scored on the power play and Justin Williams at even strength, cracking Matt Murray after the goaltender looked superhuman for most of the series.Murray allowed three goals on 19 shots and was victimized on a brutal turnover by defenseman Brian Dumoulin that led to Williams' goal. Meanwhile, Holtby was stellar and at his best when he stopped three in a less than minute on Evgeni Malkin, Patric Hornqvist and Justin Schultz.That succession of saves by body, pads and glove late in the second period drew a standing ovation and chants of ''Holtby! Holtby!'' from the sellout crowd at Verizon Center hoping it wasn't seeing its final game of the season.Penguins star Sidney Crosby had an extra gear to his game, too, but Ovechkin was even better with the Capitals on the brink of yet another early playoff exit. From the drop of the puck, Washington's captain was a force all over the ice.Ovechkin scored 4:04 in, 8 seconds into the first power play of the night, to give the Capitals the kind of strong start the Penguins anticipated given the situation. After Chris Kunitz scored the Penguins' first power-play goal of the series 3 minutes later and the momentum shifted, Ovechkin was at the center of the Capitals seizing it back.It was Ovechkin's shot off Murray's right pad that set up Oshie for his rebound goal 4 minutes into the second period. After no power-play goals in the past two games and a 1-for-12 showing in the series, the Capitals' unit that ranked fifth in the NHL during the regular season woke up just like coach Barry Trotz wanted.''You've got to find the back of the net, be it Ovi or Osh or someone,'' Trotz said Saturday morning. ''They've got to do that. They've got to get a little more traffic, as they always do when you're not getting the goals that you want. You've got to go to the hard areas.''Trotz also wanted better 5-on-5 production up and down his lineup and got that boost from Williams 9:58 into the second period. When Dumoulin threw the puck into the middle of the ice, it landed on the tape of Williams' stick, and the 33-year-old awoke from his postseason slumber to beat Murray five-hole for his second goal of the series.The Capitals signed Williams for these situations, and he made up for committing his team-leading seventh penalty of the playoffs. His goal squirted through the legs of Murray, who had stopped 104 of the past 109 shots he faced.AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ribeiro's return.The Nashville Predators will skate playmaking center Mike Ribeiro in Game 5 versus the San Jose Sharks on Saturday after consecutive scratches - and wins - on home ice in Games 3 and 4.He contributed just a single assist in Nashville's first nine postseason starts this spring, and saw the opposition carry a strong majority of the run of play while he was on the ice.Ribeiro's expected to slot in a third-line role with Calle Jarnkrok and Viktor Arvidsson while Mike Fisher continues to center James Neal and Colin Wilson.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Darryl Sutter's not convinced.The two-time Stanley Cup champion head coach, whose deal with the Los Angeles Kings is set to expire this summer, remains "still undecided" about his future with the club, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Friedman reported Saturday that Sutter's priority is to win another Stanley Cup, and would prefer to see what happens in free agency, and what the Kings' salary cap and prospect situation looks like before committing to another deal.Per Friedman, Sutter says that his affinity for Los Angeles "has weight," but the prospect of a third championship is a "big factor."Kings general manager Dean Lombardi said Friday that an offer for Sutter is on the table.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After the Florida Panthers won their second division title in team history, a number of executives are reportedly in line for significant promotions.Current executive vice president and general manager Dale Tallon is expected to move into a "president of hockey ops-style position," according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Associate general manager Tom Rowe will take over GM duties, while Eric Joyce - who is responsible for the team's advanced analytics department - will be named assistant general manager.George Richards of The Miami Herald added that Tallon, who has served as general manager since 2010, will "continue doing what he does," but with more input from Rowe and Joyce.Though Rowe hasn't officially been named the general manager, it appears he isn't wasting any time making a larger imprint on the club.

Bruce Boudreau's off the board; now it's the Calgary Flames' turn to make a move.TSN's Darren Dreger reported shortly after news broke that Boudreau would be the next coach of the Minnesota Wild that Calgary is expected to "zero in" on their coaching search Monday - or a week after firing Bob Hartley.Dreger notes that Randy Carlyle, the ex-Toronto Maple Leafs boss who of course has connections to Brian Burke, will receive an interview. Elsewhere, former Dallas Stars bench boss and current Vancouver Canucks assistant Glen Gulutzan is a "dark horse" said to be in consideration for an interview, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Hockey Night in Canada's "Headlines" segment.Friedman notes that Gulutzan and Flames GM Brad Treliving both played their junior hockey with Brandon, but the two men did not play on the same Wheat Kings teams.Speaking for Treliving, Burke told Sportsnet 590 The Fan in Toronto this week that the Flames envision a "black and blue" team, and presumably covet a coach capable of organizing such a roster.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild have found their coach.Former Anaheim Ducks bench boss Bruce Boudreau has finalized a deal to become the new head coach of the Minnesota Wild, the team announced.Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports the 61-year-old's contract will be for four years and worth just under $3 million per season.He made $1.5 million last season with the Ducks.Boudreau replaces interim head coach John Torchetti, who led the Wild to a surprising playoff berth with a great late-season run after Mike Yeo was fired in February.After guiding the Ducks to a Pacific Division title despite a disastrous start to the season, Boudreau was relieved of his duties after losing in a Game 7 for the fourth consecutive year.Though his postseason struggles are well documented, Boudreau's regular-season success with the Ducks - and previously with the Washington Capitals - has ensured he's never had to wait long when he's found himself out of work.

Visions of 2009.The Capitals, Penguins, and their power plays were shot from a cannon in Game 5, setting the tone for a contest that resembles the high-scoring, superstar-driven postseason wars the clubs waged previously.Though it was officially the Capitals' first recorded shot, Alex Ovechkin's goal scored eight seconds into the team's first opportunity on the man advantage was a culminating moment for the home side, which immediately tilted the ice on goaltender Matt Murray.

It's prom night for Brock Boeser.The University of North Dakota freshman star is taking homecoming queen Baylee Bjorge - a 19-year-old student born with Down syndrome - to Grand Forks Central's prom.

If the Dallas Stars believed they held an advantage in blasting Shania Twain's greatest hits in the room, then they failed to appropriately pre-scout Ken Hitchcock's sound system.The St. Louis Blues coach, in a decidedly chipper mood after his club's 4-1 in Game 5, told reporters that he too has drawn inspiration from the country queen."Really inspired," he chuckled. "So we're even."With all things Shania apparently equal, the Blues, now up 3-2 in the series, can advance to the Western Conference Final for the first time in Hitchcock's five-year tenure with a win Monday at Scottrade Center.Or in other words, the Blues can only go up, up, up from here.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are ready to go shot-for-shot at the 2016 World Championship.Related: Auston Matthews roofs his 1st of World ChampionshipMatthews notched his third point and second goal of the game with a rising wrister in the late stages of regulation on Saturday.The goal capped off Team USA's 6-3 victory over Belarus and matched the projected second overall pick at this year's NHL Draft - Laine - who had two goals and an assist in Finland's 6-2 win over Belarus on Friday.With that, the story line for Monday's game between the Americans and the Finns appears to be set.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

DALLAS - Brian Elliott didn't let this third-period lead get away, and St. Louis is going home with a chance to close out a second-round series against Dallas.Elliott turned away a strong push from the Stars in the final period, rookie playoff points leader Robby Fabbri had a goal and assist, and the Blues beat the Stars 4-1 Saturday for a 3-2 series lead.Dmitrij Jaskin's first career playoff goal in his first postseason game this year put the Blues ahead for good at 2-1 in the second period, and St. Louis protected a 3-1 lead in the third for a second straight road victory in the series.Related: Watch: Blues' Jaskin scores in 2016 postseason debutThe Blues surrendered the same lead before winning in overtime in Game 2 in Dallas. Elliott was perfect in the third period this time, getting 12 of his 27 saves to send the Blues home with the series edge. Game 6 is Monday night.''I know we've done well on the road, but we've set ourselves up well to go home and win a game,'' Elliott said after his seventh win of these playoffs and 13th overall. ''If we can do more of the same, I think we'll be on the right side of things after Game 6.''Troy Brouwer scored his fourth goal of the playoffs in a rare early start (noon) just 38 hours after the Stars won in overtime in St. Louis to even the series.There were quite a few empty seats at the start of such a pivotal game, but the pace was brisk early before the Blues established themselves in another physical game with frequent scuffles after whistles in a matchup of the top two Western Conference teams.''It felt like we were going out for a pre-game skate and then all of a sudden you're playing,'' Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. ''And then it's going 100 miles an hour and you're trying to keep up. It's hard to be alert that early in the day physically from a body contact standpoint.''The game was stopped early in the third period because of blood on the ice in front of the Dallas bench, and yet there wasn't a penalty until a few seconds after that when St. Louis' David Backes was sent off for holding.The Blues killed that penalty and one more later in the third, putting Dallas at 1 of 16 with the man advantage in the series.The Stars created plenty of chances at even strength as well, but they couldn't get one past Elliott. That included Cody Eakin, who was stuffed while alone just in front of Elliott after scoring the overtime winner on the road two days earlier.''We hit some posts, we hit a crossbar, we missed a couple point blank,'' Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. ''When you get chances to execute and turn the game, it's your chance to put the game in your favor and we didn't.''Jaskin's go-ahead goal came after a long sequence in Dallas' defensive end. Kari Lehtonen, who had 18 saves on 21 shots, stopped a backhander with his pad, but Jaskin got his own rebound and put it in over a sprawling Lehtonen midway through the second period.Fabbri, who has four multipoint games in the playoffs and 10 points (eight assists) in 12 games, started the sequence to Brouwer's goal for a 3-1 lead with a cross-ice pass to Paul Stastny, who had an empty-net goal and an assist. Stastny's shot was deflected to Brouwer, who almost missed the puck but got enough to send it into an open net.''It's like he's on the beach and there's the ocean,'' Hitchcock said. ''It's just got to go in. You just can't miss it from that much sand, you know?''St. Louis went up 1-0 when Fabbri sent what appeared to be a pass through the slot that ricocheted off Dallas forward Brett Ritchie's skate past Lehtonen.The Stars got even about 5 minutes later when Alex Goligoski had a shot into an open net on assists from Vernon Fiddler and Jason Spezza. It was Goligoski's fourth goal of the playoffs after he had five in the regular season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Projected first-overall pick Auston Matthews gave the hockey world a sneak peak of what NHL teams can expect from the forward next season.The 18-year-old picked up his first goal of the tournament by sniping a shot over the blocking glove of the Belarusian netminder, giving the United States a commanding 5-1 lead on Saturday.With an assist earlier in the contest, Matthews still has one goal to go if he wants to match the impressive outing of Finnish forward Patrik Laine.Laine had two goals and an assist against Belarus on Friday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues forward Dmitrij Jaskin is making head coach Ken Hitchcock look like a very smart man.The 23-year-old was inserted into the lineup on Saturday and scored the go-ahead goal against the Dallas Stars in the second period of Game 5.Saturday marks Jaskin's first taste of the 2016 playoffs. He has not played since April 7, but if he keeps performing, one could expect to see a lot more of him going forward.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers confirmed reports by announcing the signing of Drake Caggiula on Saturday.The Oilers made the two-year entry-level deal official after various reports Friday suggested the 21-year-old has opted to join the organization.Caggiula is coming off his fourth season at the University of North Dakota where he hit career highs with 25 goals and 51 points in 39 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL announced Saturday that Jamie Benn, Sidney Crosby, and Patrick Kane are this year's finalists for the Hart Trophy, which is awarded to the player "adjudged to be the most valuable to his team."Kane scored the nomination after he collected his first Art Ross Trophy for pacing the league in points with 106, and finished second in the Rocket Richard Trophy race with 46 goals.He hit career highs in every offensive category in his ninth season with the Chicago Blackhawks and became the first American-born player to lead the league in scoring.Benn finished second in league scoring behind Kane after also achieving career bests in goals and points with 41 and 89, respectively. He helped the Dallas Stars capture the top spot in the Western Conference and currently leads the NHL with 14 playoff points.Crosby earned his fifth Hart Trophy nomination after a relatively slow start to the season that saw him go pointless in eight of the Pittsburgh Penguins' first nine games.He picked things up down the stretch, recording at least a point in 20 of his final 21 games. Crosby was also the only player to have at least two 10-game point streaks this season.The Hart Trophy will be handed out at the NHL Awards on June 22.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nyquist the horse has now been closer to the Stanley Cup than Nyquist the hockey player.The favorite to win Saturday's 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby got a visit with Lord Stanley's Mug Saturday morning.

It's no stroke of dumb luck that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov is having another playoff season to remember.The 22-year-old Russian picked up his eighth goal of the postseason Friday night, scoring the tying goal that sent his club to overtime and ultimately set the stage for Jason Garrison's game-winner, giving Tampa a 3-1 series lead."He's feeling it," goaltender Ben Bishop said of Kucherov, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "People don't understand how smart a player he is. Obviously he's got the skill, but he's a very smart player. He's finding areas and getting his opportunities."Kucherov's goal extendend his postseason lead in the category to two, marking the sixth game in nine playoff contests that he's found the back of the net."He's not a one-hit wonder," head coach Jon Cooper said, according to John Kreiser of NHL.com. "He did this last year in the playoffs. He carries it into the regular season and gets 30 goals. Now we're playing on the biggest stage, and he continues to amaze."Kucherov's hot-handed ways have carried over from the regular season.After pacing the team with 66 points in 77 regular season games - including his first 30-goal campaign - Kucherov leads the team in postseason goals this spring and is just one point back of Tyler Johnson in playoff points.He continues to be a consistent playoff performer - as he collected 22 points in 26 games last postseason - shouldering the brunt of the offensive responsibilities for the Lightning.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 4 on Friday, the Tampa Bay Lightning are now just one win away from reaching their second straight Eastern Conference Final.After the New York Islanders came out of the gate hot in taking Game 1, the Lightning have responded with three straight victories.The Islanders enjoyed a first-round win over the Florida Panthers - their first playoff series win in 23 years - but the feel-good ride has reached its final destination.With a 3-1 stranglehold on the series, the Lightning will most surely wrap up the series in one of the remaining must-win contests for the Islanders, here's why.Shutting down TavaresCaptain John Tavares was a beast in the first-round for the Islanders. The 25-year-old potted five goals and 10 points in six games, including the all-important overtime winner that eliminated the Panthers.Tavares was only held off the scoreboard once during the six games against Florida, but since Game 1 where he had a goal and an assist, the Lightning have silenced Tavares.Tampa has limited the 25-year-old center to just seven shots and a minus-3 rating in the last three games. Tavares has twice as many goals as the next highest Islander skater, so it's safe to say the Lightning have cut off the head of the snake.Big guns continue to rollWhile Tampa Bay has done well in silencing the big guns of the Islanders, their own weapons, are still firing on all cylinders.After Friday's contest Victor Hedman, Tyler Johnson, Valterri Filppula, and Jonathan Drouin are all averaging a point-per-game or better against the Islanders. The four mentioned Lightning have combined for six goals so far and we haven't even mentioned playoff scoring leader Nikita Kucherov.The 22-year-old has found the back of the net three times in four games and has been showing up in the clutch, tying the game for the Lightning in the last two contests.Kucherov paces the playoffs with eight goals and does not appear to be slowing down, more bad news for the Islanders.Lightning are relentlessWhat makes Tampa Bay such a handful to play against - and what has been most aggravating to the Islanders - is that the Lightning never get down on themselves.As mentioned before, Tampa has picked up comeback wins in the last two contests - including Game 3 that saw Kucherov tie the game with just 39 seconds remaining.In both OT wins the Lightning have found the back of the net within the first three minutes of the extra frame, and each time holding the Islanders to a stifling zero shots.Four times in the series the Lightning have tied the game after giving up the lead, but the club has the never-say-die attitude and it is showing.Individual performances could get the Lightning past the Islanders alone, but the mindset of never being out of any game is what makes the team such a beast to take down.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are without Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman among a collection of regulars out of action with injury and other ailments.But they aren't lacking in know-how specific to the Stanley Cup Playoffs."There's no real panic button anymore," head coach Jon Cooper said Friday, adding that the Lightning have seen and been through everything over these last two Stanley Cups Playoff bids.The latest second-season experience ended with Jason Garrison's overtime winner 94 seconds into the extra frame of Game 4, a goal that saw the Bolts move to within a win of a return trip to the Eastern Conference Final after a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders."We're just getting contributions from everybody," Cooper said. "Last game it was the (Brian) Boyle line that bailed us out. Tonight it was a defenseman."Really, those contributions from Boyle, Garrison, and the like have been of the supplemental variety.Goalie Ben Bishop was brilliant once again, keeping his club in the game with 16 first-period saves before the team's lone attacking constant, Nikita Kucherov, brought them level with his postseason-leading eighth goal a little less than eight minutes into the third."He's proven he's not a one-hit wonder," Cooper said of Kucherov.The further that the Lightning delve into the playoffs, the more plausible that they'll atone for last season's shortcomings.Stralman could be fit to return before this series is up, while the Lightning reportedly remain of the mind that the captain will return to action this season from ongoing blood clot treatment.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Streamable - simple video sharingThe Tampa Bay Lightning are one win from returning to the conference final, and they'll have an opportunity to close out the New York Islanders on home ice.Jason Garrison's booming slap shot early in overtime of Game 4 eluded goaltender Thomas Greiss and gave the Lightning a 3-1 series lead Friday night.The Lightning trailed for most of the game until Nikita Kucherov tied it midway through the third period with his league-leading eighth goal of the playoffs.Ben Bishop made 27 saves in the win, pushing his career overtime record to 5-0 and giving him a tournament-best seventh victory of the postseason.Game 5 goes Sunday afternoon at Amalie Arena.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shane Doan appears set on playing at least one more season in the desert."Yeah, I think I'm going to. We've talked about it as a family and we're going to do it. It was one of those things (that) I wasn't sure about, but it's going to work," the Arizona Coyotes captain said Friday on NHL Network after having lunch with new general manager John Chayka on Thursday.The 39-year-old acknowledged that the Coyotes would still have to sign him to a contract to facilitate his plans."They have to agree to want me back, to a certain degree."Doan also shed some light on his meeting with Chayka, the 26-year-old analytics guru who was promoted from his previous role as a Coyotes assistant general manager this week."It was interesting just to sit and talk to him, and to get his perspective from a totally different (point) of view," he said. "As a player, you view the game one way, and as someone who views it with the numbers and the other side of it, it's totally different."He had a lot of great ideas, and a lot of interesting things, and we're excited."Doan said he's grateful to have spent his entire career with the same franchise."I don't think anyone ever plans on it, but I've been given the opportunity, and it means a lot to me. To have the opportunity to be involved for 20 years, but to be with the same organization and stay there, it's been a lot of fun and I've enjoyed it," Doan said.The veteran winger said in March that he was "probably" leaning toward playing for the Coyotes again in 2016-17.He'll become an unrestricted free agent if the Coyotes don't sign him to a new deal before July 1.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Unexpected delays present some of the greatest challenges for sports broadcasters. Some tap into the crowd noise, others lean on talking points surrounding the event, and Jeremy Roenick sings Justin Bieber.With the third period of Game 4 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders delayed after a section of the boards was displaced by the Zamboni, Roenick tried and failed to hit a digestible octave in singing a line from Justin Bieber's "Sorry."It's far too late, JR.- with h/t to Pete BlackburnCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thomas Greiss had to be helped off the ice Friday night, but it had nothing to do with an injury.The New York Islanders goaltender's right skate blade snapped off early in the second period of Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Islanders backup netminder Jean-Francois Berube was pressed into action on a Lightning power play while Greiss got his skate fixed in the dressing room.Berube made a pair of saves in relief, and the starter was eventually able to return.Greiss-is averted.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nikita Kucherov gives up nearly 40 pounds to Kyle Okposo, but that didn't matter much in open ice on Friday night.Watch the talented Tampa Bay Lightning scorer turn banger with a massive hit on the New York Islanders power forward in Game 4.The NHL will obviously have a look at the collision, as Okposo's head is quite clearly included in the contact.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Oilers love "The Drake."University of North Dakota senior standout Drake Caggiula intends to sign with the Edmonton Oilers, according to various reports.The undrafted free-agent forward starred at the NCAA's Frozen Four last month, leading the Fighting Hawks to their first National Championship since 2000, and winning the most outstanding player award.Caggiula collected 127 points in his Division I career - including 25 goals and 26 assists in his 39-game senior season. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound left-shot forward is considered NHL ready, and slots in as one of Edmonton's top prospects.The Vancouver Canucks - who drafted Caggiula's teammate, Brock Boeser, in the first round last summer - were also in the mix for Caggiula's services, but ultimately lost out.As TSN's Bob McKenzie notes, Caggiula previously had the opportunity to play with Connor McDavid, as the Erie Otters once owned his junior rights.Caggiula will turn 22 in June, meaning his entry-level contract will be for two seasons.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Roger Cote is, in fact, alive.The Edmonton Oilers apologized Friday for including the 76-year-old former defenseman in their tribute to deceased members of the organization on Rexall Place Farewell Night last month."In an extreme oversight and error, we included Mr. Cote in that portion of the program," the Oilers said in a statement on the team's official website."Roger is alive and well, living in Garson, Ontario. For this action and any confusion or pain it caused Mr. Cote and his family and friends, we sincerely apologize."Cote's name and photo appeared just before the three-minute mark of the tribute video.The Oilers said they have been in contact with Cote and his daughter, who have forgiven the club for the error. The team will invite him and his son to a game at the new arena, Rogers Place, next season.Cote was the first-ever signing of the WHA's Alberta Oilers, who played one season under that name before becoming the Edmonton Oilers prior to the 1973-74 campaign. He spent both of those seasons with the organization, and retired in 1975.- With h/t to Puck DaddyCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The players have spoken.Patrick Kane, Jamie Benn, and Braden Holtby were announced as finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, a recognition given to the NHL's most outstanding player as voted on by their peers.Kane, the NHL's only 100-point scorer, became the first American to win the Art Ross Trophy with his career-best 46 goals and 60 assists for the Chicago Blackhawks. The dynamic winger etched his name in the record books with a 26-game point-scoring streak, racked up more power-play points than any other, and netted nine game-winners.Benn built on his Art Ross Trophy-winning season from a year ago, finishing with a career-best 41 goals and 89 points. He powered the league's top-rated offence, leading the Dallas Stars to a Western Conference-best 109 points.Holtby matched Martin Brodeur's NHL record with 48 wins. In his 66 appearances, he anchored the Washington Capitals' President's Trophy-winning campaign. The Vezina Trophy frontrunner finished eighth in save percentage and fifth in goals-against average.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

From this moment on, Shania Twain is a Dallas Stars fan.The country star was delighted to find out the NHL club blared and sung along to her music before defeating the St. Louis Blues in Game 4 on Thursday night.

With an efficient first-round series victory over the Detroit Red Wings and two wins in three tries against the New York Islanders, the Tampa Bay Lightning have survived the absence of their stabilizing force on the back end, Anton Stralman.Thing is, Stralman's broken leg isn't healing as expected.Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters that the club has been "baffled" by the defender's injury, and in addition to being unavailable in Game 4, Stralman is doubtful for Sunday's Game 5.Stralman suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left fibula during a net-front battle with the Islanders' Anders Lee near the end of March.Only Victor Hedman has logged more minutes than Stralman since the beginning of last season's playoffs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brent Peterson was rather excited when Mike Fisher ended Game 4 between the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks in triple overtime early Friday morning.The Predators' radio color commentator unleashed an impromptu scream of delight after play-by-play voice Pete Weber called Fisher's goal, which knotted the second-round series at 2-2 at around 1 a.m. local time.Say what you want about objectivity, but it was the longest game in Predators history, so many fans and media members no doubt had the same reaction upon realizing it was over.- With h/t to Brooks BrattenCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings are doing some soul-searching.General manager Dean Lombardi described his team's five-game first-round loss to the San Jose Sharks as "a punch in the gut" on a conference call Friday. After a run of success including two Stanley Cups, the Kings are in re-evaluation mode.Lombardi, though, wants the same man behind the Kings' bench for those Cups to return, and said an offer is on the the table for head coach Darryl Sutter."I think (Sutter's) comfortable with what's there. I think it's very fair," Lombardi said of the offer. "But just like when he came here and when his last contract was up, 'Does he want to do it?'"Money isn't the issue - it's about where the Kings are, where they go from here, and whether Sutter wants to be involved, Lombardi said."There's a lot of work to be done here," he added. "There's safety in doing things the same way after you've won. This is a little ... not scary, but you see what's happened. We're not where we want to be. Now you have to fix it."

The coaching carousel is in full swing.With Bruce Boudreau in Ottawa on Friday to interview for the Senators' head coaching vacancy, the Star Tribune's Michael Russo chimes in with a report that the Minnesota Wild - who already interviewed Boudreau - have spoken to former NHL head coaches Guy Boucher and Marc Crawford by phone.Due to Boudreau's family ties in Ontario, Russo doesn't believe the Wild will be able to land the former Anaheim Ducks head coach if Ottawa makes an offer. That leaves the Wild in a bit of a waiting game, especially in light of the fact the Senators have interviewed Boucher, Randy Carlyle, Crawford, and Mike Yeo (twice).The Wild have reportedly met with Carlyle as well, and also interviewed John Torchetti, who took over in Minnesota after Yeo was fired.Boucher and Crawford have been coaching in Switzerland, but want to come back to the NHL.Russo's "guess" is that the Wild will look to someone with NHL coaching experience, so the names being bandied about certainly make sense. There's also Bob Hartley, who was fired earlier in the week by the Calgary Flames.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Eric Fehr will be back in the lineup for Game 5 on Saturday.Fehr declared himself "ready to go" Friday afternoon after missing one game due to an undisclosed injury.The 30-year-old has two points in eight playoff games, including the winner in Game 2 versus the Washington Capitals.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals are on the brink.Headed home trailing 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Capitals believe they're ready to turn the series around after blowing the same lead in last year's playoffs."I think this team has lots of character," Alex Ovechkin told Mike Zeisberger of the National Post. "Last year, we were winning 3-1 and we lost the series, so we have to take that experience and turn it around our way."Their elimination at the hands of the New York Rangers last spring added another ugly blemish to the Capitals' playoff history. Washington hasn't advanced to the third round in Ovechkin's eight playoff seasons with the team."I think it sucks. We wanted to tie the game and tie the series (Wednesday), but overall I think we have to play our game," Ovechkin added.The Capitals' postseason despair has given them a losing reputation, but Ovechkin said the Presidents' Trophy winners need to focus on the present."It's totally different this year," Ovechkin said. "Like I said, last year we were winning 3-1 against the Rangers and we lost, so we just have to have the mentality shift to shift and period by period and try to turn it around, try to win the next game."Three-time Stanley Cup winner Justin Williams also believes Washington can erase a two-game deficit by embracing the moment."You've got to err on the side of enthusiasm, not apprehension," Williams said, according to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. He added, "We need to come out on the winning edge and own the big moments. We haven't done that yet."Netminder Braden Holtby, who's more than capable of stealing a game for his team, said the Capitals are poised to rise to the occasion."I don't think we're panicking at all in here," Holtby said. "We're just ready for this opportunity to show that we're capable of anything."Washington's season is on the line when the puck drops for Game 5 at the Verizon Center on Saturday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The big ice is beautiful.Matt Duchene's certainly enjoying it. The Colorado Avalanche forward is suiting up for Canada at the World Championship in Russia, and he used the larger international surface to perfection Friday, going shelf blocker side on Keith Kinkaid with a stunning and beautifully placed wrist shot.Canada beat the U.S. 5-1 in the tourney opener. Duchene added a helper, while Auston Matthews, the presumptive No. 1 pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the NHL Entry Draft, was held pointless.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers forward Oscar Lindberg will be sidelined six months after undergoing hip surgery, the club announced Friday.Lindberg had a "simultaneous bilateral hip labral repair."The 24-year-old collected 13 goals and 15 assists in his rookie season, playing 68 games. He averaged 12:11 in ice time per game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a series expected to be dominated by a plethora of superstars, it's the Pittsburgh Penguins' role players that have had the greatest impact.It was supposed to be Sidney Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin, but the team captains have scored only one and three points, respectively, through four games.Pittsburgh, currently in command of a 3-1 series lead, benefited from the production of Nick Bonino and Carl Hagelin, who each have four points, but head coach Mike Sullivan is giving credit to the entire roster."It seems like every night different people step up at different times and make important key plays that help us win," Sullivan told Mark Giannotto of The Washington Post. "Sometimes they're game-winning goals, but sometimes they're subtle plays ... For me, that's the essence of a team and that's what I've grown to admire about this group."The superstar scoring shortage runs deeper than Crosby and Ovechkin, as Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel have four points combined, while Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov have one each.Although it may not be living up to the expected narrative, Crosby is happy with his team's success."You just have to believe in the way you play and trust that we'll get our chances, and when we do, someone will step up," he said. "It's been different guys."The balanced recipe is working for the Penguins, on the cusp of advancing to the conference finals for the first time since 2013."We have a nice mix of young players with a veteran core group that get along extremely well," Sullivan said. "I think because of that chemistry, it has helped both sides, whether it be the core guys or the role players that step up and make key plays at key times that help us win."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a deflating 6-1 loss in Game 3, the Dallas Stars bounced back in a big way Thursday night.Thanks to a laser off the stick of forward Cody Eakin, Dallas took Game 4 over the St. Louis Blues in overtime, evening the series at 2-2.Stars head coach Lindy Ruff was expecting a winning effort, and his best players delivered."I said, 'It's time for us to man up,' and I thought we did," Ruff told reporters postgame. "I thought our leaders were our leaders."Indeed they were, as captain Jamie Benn had two assists, taking the lead on the playoff-points leaderboard with 14 through 10 games. Patrick Sharp, acquired by Dallas to help turn them into postseason contenders, also notched two points."We put it behind us," Benn told Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. "You can't play perfect hockey all the time. I think it was just magnified a bit because it's the playoffs. The message was 'stay positive, get back at it.' We know we're a good team. We finished where we did because of the way we played throughout the year, and we believed in each other.""I know it was ugly for a lot of the guys and the team in general for Game 3," Sharp said. "Credit to the team, we were able to put it behind us."Eakin, who is centering the top line in the absence of Tyler Seguin, is happy to be headed home with the series tied."That's the nice thing about finishing first, we've got home-court advantage back," he said. "It's a race to two, and it's going to be a lot of fun."Dallas hosts a pivotal Game 5 on Saturday afternoon.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's nothing like overtime in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ask the Nashville Predators.The club won a triple-OT thriller in Game 4 late Thursday night - or early Friday morning, depending on your perspective - thanks to Mike Fisher's winner, tying their series with the San Jose Sharks in the process. And all of it, every minute, was worth it."If we would've won 5-1, it would've been nice," said Mattias Ekholm, according to The Tennessean's Adam Vingan. "But when you win it like this, it's obviously extra nice."Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne, who made 44 saves - 25 in the three overtimes - was ready to make another 44."I don't care how these wins come if we have to play all night," Rinne said, according to the Predators' website. "It's a 2-2 series right now, and you can't say enough about San Jose too. They have a great team, and they played a strong game, but like I said, it shows a lot of character when you pull out a win like this."The Predators were down 2-0 in the series and left for dead. They're alive."You have to give credit to Rinne," Ekholm added. "He kept us in the game all OT and all game long. ... It's a huge win for us, and we'll enjoy it tonight, forget about it tomorrow. It's a new game Saturday."Fisher credited the crowd in Music City."That was a great hockey game, and our fans had as much energy as anyone," he said. "Going out for that third (overtime) they were unbelievable, and we tried to feed off of that a little bit too."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A goaltender interference call stopped the San Jose Sharks from taking a 3-1 series lead.During triple-overtime of Thursday's nights Game 4 versus the Nashville Predators, Sharks captain Joe Pavelski put forth a Herculean effort that appeared to win the game.Related: Pavelski's extraordinary OT effort negated after contact with RinneHowever, referees determined Pavelski interfered with Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne, negating the goal.Understandably, Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer wasn't thrilled with the call, as Nashville evened the series later in the frame."I don't understand. I guess if incidental contact is if you're getting cross-checked from behind while you're in the air and have the opportunity to stop. I guess that's what it is," DeBoer told reporters after the game. "That rule has been clear as mud to every coach in the league all year, so why should it be different now?"Pavelski, who was held pointless for only the third time this postseason, is ready to move on from the call."I know I hit it in, so I'm waiting for it, and later they're saying they're going to look at goaltender interference, too," Pavelski said. "They just kind of covered it, you know? ... What are you going to do, it's kind of out of your hands."Game 5 goes Saturday night in San Jose with the series knotted at 2.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Fisher's triple-overtime goal came just in time, because Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg's legs had simply had enough.Watch the Nashville Predators pour off the bench - synchronously crashing to the ice - after Fisher lifted the club to its first ever overtime win on home ice in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the longest game in club history.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Fisher's goal in the 112th minute of action in the wee hours Friday morning ensured that the longest game in Nashville Predators' history was a triumphant one.After Martin Jones failed to corral a high shot from the point, Fisher dug the puck out and swept in his second goal of the game to lift the Predators to 4-3 triple-overtime win that evened their second-round series with the San Jose Sharks at two games apiece.Related: Predators tumble onto ice celebrating Fisher's triple-OT winnerFisher's line of Colin Wilson and James Neal accounted for each Nashville goal, but the most important contributor wearing gold was goaltender Pekka Rinne. He made 44 stops in the contest, including 21 in the sudden-death frames.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Suddenly-scorching Nashville Predators forward Colin Wilson had the longest game in franchise history on his stick in Friday morning's triple-overtime frame versus the San Jose Sharks.But Martin Jones was up to the task and able to make his 40th stop - a sliding stick save on Wilson's backhand deke.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.